Traditional attire gives county cutting edge in design

China Daily2025-07-13 20:28

　　Wearing a newly designed hanfu, a model adjusts her hairpin before demonstrating the attire.GUO XULEI/XU JIAYI/XINHUA

　　Hanfu allows women to combine comfort with culture, style and elegance.

　　At the heart of Shandong province, Caoxian county is rewriting its story through silk, tradition and digital innovation.

　　Known as one of the country's leading hanfu production and sales hubs, the county in Heze city has built a complete industrial chain spanning design, manufacturing, copyright protection and digital marketing.

　　Models present the charm of hanfu on the ramp during a fashion event held at an industrial park in Caoxian county, Shandong province, as local designers are experimenting with new styles, materials and colors to make the dress more suitable for daily life.GUO XULEI/XU JIAYI/XINHUA

　　Hanfu, the country's traditional attire, has evolved over the centuries and in recent years has enjoyed a revival, driven by a renewed interest in traditional culture among young people and its growing visibility on social media platforms.

　　When a few people in the county began experimenting with making hanfu costumes for photo studios and performances in the early 2000s, no one would expect they were weaving a prosperous future for the county.

　　Caoxian authorities have helped build the county into a global center for hanfu, with a complete industrial chain spanning design, manufacturing, copyright protection and digital marketing.GUO XULEI/XU JIAYI/XINHUA

　　The hanfu made in Caoxian, notably the horse-face skirt, or mamianqun, gained international recognition through appearances at the Chinese clothing design competitions and Milan Fashion Week.

　　These clothes have been exported to Australia, Canada and the European Union, generating 12 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) in total sales last year.

　　With a population of more than 1.3 million, Caoxian is now home to nearly 3,000 hanfu businesses, according to local authorities.

　　Wearing traditional clothing, a livestreamer not only explains the beauty of hanfu to viewers, but also relates the rich cultural heritage behind the clothing.GUO XULEI/XU JIAYI/XINHUA

　　The cultural exchange highlights the remarkable rise of Caoxian.

　　Fueled by a youth-driven cultural revival, the county's thriving hanfu industry is an example of the successful integration of traditional heritage and digital innovation.

　　It not only transforms the ancient aesthetics into symbols of modern Chinese identity on the global stage, but also serves as a new engine for increasing the income of local people and promoting rural revitalization.

　　A participant of a recent two-week workshop organized by China Women's University tries on traditional attire at a hanfu production base in Caoxian county, East China's Shandong province.GUO XULEI/XU JIAYI/XINHUA

　　The sight of overseas visitors donning hanfu in Caoxian symbolizes more than just a cultural moment.

　　It demonstrates how cultural heritage can become a powerful catalyst for sustainable rural development in the modern era.

　　A worker monitors the embroidery machines in a hanfu production line in Caoxian county.GUO XULEI/XU JIAYI/XINHUA

　　A designer draws patterns for the horse-face skirt, or mamianqun, on a laptop at a studio in the county.GUO XULEI/XU JIAYI/XINHUA

　　At an e-commerce delivery center in Caoxian, tens of thousands of parcels are distributed every day.GUO XULEI/XU JIAYI/XINHUA